Robert 3rd in China

Our leading javelin thrower, Robert Oosthuizen’s international success continues and he finished third at the second Samsung IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China at the weekend.

Already having qualified for the World Track and Field Championships later this year, also in the Far East (Daegu, South Korea) the 24-year-old Malmesbury athlete ended with a throw of 83.73 metres.

Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildson opened the competition with an 82.18m throw to be the early leader. The giant Norwegian held that lead until the third round when former world champion, Tero Pitkamaki of Finland sent the 800-gram projectile to 85.33m. Thorkildson then responded with an 85.12m.

Oosthuizen’s third round effort of 82.95m would have been good enough for the third spot, but he made sure with an 83.73m throw in the final round ÔÇô his third best of the year so far.

Oosthuizen won his first competition of 2011 at the Yellow Pages Meeting in Potchefstroom on 19 January with that World Championship qualifier of 83.82m. He successfully defended his national title in Durban (81.18m) and then placed second at the first Diamond League meeting in Doha on 6 May with his third best ever throw of 84.38m, before his third now in Shanghai.

Ruben Ramolefi was the only other South African in action on Sunday. The South African record holder finished a disappointing 13th in Shanghai, being timed at 8min 27.38sec, some way off the 8:14.06 he ran at national championships.

Olympic gold medallist, Brimin Kipruto of Kenya ran a world leading as well as a meeting record with his 8:02:28 ahead of Paul Koech (8.02:42).